Explosive Confrontation Escalates: Russian Ships Continue Strikes as US Abrams Tanks Make Dramatic Entrance in Ukraine
Russian warships continue to strike Ukraine despite claims of commander's death President Zelensky welcomes the arrival of US Abrams tanks as attacks on port infrastructure persist
Following Kyiv's claim of the commander of Moscow's Black Sea Fleet being killed on Friday, Russian warships continued to launch attacks on Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed appreciation for the arrival of US Abrams tanks to the country.
On national television on Monday, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy likened Russia's ongoing strikes from the Black Sea to "a headless chicken running around."
"The Russian Navy has experienced a significant setback, having lost their key figure responsible for managing the entire fleet and his team. This group of skilled managers is crucial in ensuring seamless coordination and effective functioning of the fleet. It is alarming to consider the impact of their absence on the overall operations of such a large and complex mechanism. According to Ukraine navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk, Russian President Vladimir Putin is not directly involved in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the fleet, instead relying on his knowledgeable admirals who possess a deep understanding of their resources, personnel, and effective deployment strategies."
Hence, they will encounter individual issues in controlling the troops," he stated. Following the incident in Sevastopol on Friday, where the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces allegedly caused casualties among Russian Adm. Viktor Sokolov and 33 other officers, it appears to be the most audacious assault by Ukrainian forces on the occupied Crimea peninsula to date.
More than a hundred Russian servicemen sustained injuries during the covert operation known as "Crab Trap," strategically executed while high-ranking officials of the Russian Navy convened, according to the Special Operations Forces.
Commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet Vice-Admiral Viktor Sokolov during a send-off ceremony in Sevastopol, Crimea on September 27, 2022.
Alexey Pavlishak/Reuters
CNN is unable to verify Ukraine's statements regarding Solokov or the casualty count. CNN has contacted the Russian defense ministry to request their response.
According to Moscow, a single serviceman is currently unaccounted for due to Ukraine's assault on Sevastopol.
Crimea, the southern region of Ukraine that has been under Russian occupation since 2014, has become the target of Ukraine's escalating strikes on strategic Russian facilities. Despite the challenges, Ukraine remains steadfast in its determination to reclaim Crimea. Andrii Yusov, the spokesperson for Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, highlighted that Russia has been utilizing Crimea as a crucial logistics hub and emphasized that the ultimate objective is to free Ukrainian Crimea from occupation.
An M1A1 Abrams tank during a training exercise at Bemowo Piskie, Poland, Nov. 25, 2022.
Staff Sgt. Matthew A. Foster/US Army National Guard
Abrams arrive
Western weapon supplies have been crucial in bolstering Ukraine's significantly disadvantaged forces, enabling them to both repel Russian attacks and launch counteroffensives beyond the front lines. This has provoked Moscow, leading Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to accuse the United States and other countries of engaging in direct warfare against Russia.
The Pentagon and Zelensky confirmed on Monday that the first shipment of US Abrams tanks has arrived in Ukraine. Maj. Charlie Dietz, the Pentagon spokesperson, stated that the presence of these tanks acts as a powerful deterrent against aggressive actions, thereby enabling the Ukrainian army to effectively discourage such actions.
The tanks are a highly anticipated asset for Ukraine, providing a formidable ground component to troops who have valiantly endured over a year and a half of warfare. President Zelensky expressed that the tanks are in the process of being prepared to strengthen our brigades.
Attacks on port infrastructure
The training of Ukrainian forces on tank operations commenced in Germany in May. After undergoing refurbishment and preparation for shipment, the 31 tanks allocated for Ukraine were officially granted approval for transfer last month.Ukrainian officials report that after the strike on Sevastopol, a series of Russian attacks occurred in the port city of Odesa during Monday and Tuesday nights. Attack drones specifically targeted the port infrastructure in the Izmail district for over two hours on Tuesday morning, confirmed Oleh Kiper, the head of Ukraine's Odesa regional military administration.
The following day, Kiper reported that the Russian strikes in Odesa resulted in the deaths of at least two individuals and caused extensive damage to the city. Among the victims was an individual discovered beneath the wreckage of a grain warehouse.
Ukraine's military claims that Russia's assault on Odesa constitutes a breach of international humanitarian law, as it deliberately targeted both military personnel and civilian infrastructure, including the power grid. The defense forces further described the attack as a feeble reprisal for the strike against Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters.
The city's port, power infrastructure, granaries, warehouses, and several private households in the suburbs were damaged in the attack on Monday, according to the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine. On Monday, Ukraine's energy minister mentioned that approximately 1,000 consumers were currently without electricity, and a significant repair campaign was being carried out.
According to Ukraine's defense forces, Russian forces used drones, hypersonic missiles, cruise missiles, and a submarine in the attack. They managed to shoot down 19 drones and 11 missiles.
The wreckage from the destroyed weapons caused damage to several warehouses and private homes. Additionally, the hypersonic missile strike also resulted in damage to the granaries.
A damaged building is seen following a Russian military attack in Odesa, Ukraine, in this image released on September 25.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov deferred commenting on the Odesa attacks and directed inquiries to the Russian Ministry of Defense for information regarding "particular military operations."
Following the collapse of the Black Sea grain deal in July, Moscow's forces have frequently targeted the southern port. This deal had enabled Ukrainian ships to evade a Russian blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports and safely navigate through the waterway to reach global markets via Turkey's Bosphorus Strait. Russia has been accused of exploiting the global hunger threat, thus weaponizing it against its neighboring country, as many economically challenged nations heavily depend on Ukrainian grain.
Russian forces carried out airstrikes on the Kherson region, a significant hub for shipbuilding on the Black Sea, resulting in the deaths of at least six individuals and injuries to five others on Monday, confirmed Ukrainian authorities. Among the victims were a 73-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman from Beryslav, a southern Ukrainian city, where Russian forces targeted and dropped four bombs, stated Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the Kherson regional military administration.
During the last 24 hours, the Kherson region witnessed a total of 87 assaults by Russian forces, targeting residential areas, medical facilities, educational institutions, and vital infrastructure, stated Prokudin. Consequently, due to the severe shelling by Russia, a large number of civilians have evacuated, leaving only a quarter of the population remaining in Beryslav.
In the Kherson region, numerous families, amounting to nearly 100 children, have departed from the perilous coastal communities within the last two weeks, according to the statement. Reporting for CNN was undertaken by Olya Voitovych, Rob Pitcheta, Anna Chernova, Mariya Knight, Haley Britzky, and Alex Marquardt.
